Letter to the Editor: Smoke & Mirrors of Vaccine Efficacy
After reading Bill Martin’s column today on vaccines, I will channel Paul Harvey’s radio program, The Rest of the Story. My senior English teacher, Fr. Becker, taught me 2 important axioms that have never been wrong: if you want to know the real truth: look under the rug & follow the money.
First, let’s ask some simple questions: How many people actually get the flu every year and how effective is the flu vaccine? According to the CDC, about 3%-11% of people in the US get the flu each year and studies show that the flu vaccine is about 30-50% effective, depending on the year (graph below). So, this means that you have a 3-11% chance of getting the flu and because the vaccine is only 30-50% effective, there is about a 1-5% chance that the flu vaccine will actually prevent YOU from getting the flu.
Next, here is a graph from the Centers For Disease Control website that shows the effectiveness of the flu vaccine in preventing the flu from 04 – 17. It is 50% or above only 4 of those years & was abysmal in 04 – 05 & 14 – 15. Bill is an extremely intelligent fiscal individual. Would he buy a computer or car with that degree of effectiveness?
With regards to the COVID vaccine, one must compare relative risk versus absolute risk of becoming ill from COVID in receiving the vaccine.
Pfizer
Relative Risk Reduction 95% Absolute Risk Reduction 0.7%
Moderna
Relative Risk Reduction 94% Absolute Risk Reduction 1%
It would require too much space to delineate the difference between relative & absolute risk. A computer search would easily educate one on these terms. Drug companies sell drugs & vaccines by utilizing relative risk, not absolute risk. No one would be immunized with a 0.7% or 1% risk reduction.
My advice is the same as before: build a better fort, aka make the right lifestyle & supplement choices that gives you a Michael Jordan immune system!
Jim Cross, ND, LAc, Quincy, CA